Antitheft apparatus for displayed garments and their hangers



Aug. 16, 1966 J. 0. WEDDLE ANTITHEFT APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYED GARMENTSAND THEIR HANGERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 10, 1963 INVENTOR BY 6m l 7ATTORNEY 6, 1966 J. o. WEDDLE 3,266,684

ANTITHEFT APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYED GARMENTS AND THEIR HANGERS Filed May10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 101111 ONVeJdle l7 INVENTOR BY @mm ATTORN E YUnited States Patent 3,266,684 ANTITHEFT APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYEDGARMENTS AND THEIR HANGERS John O. Weddle, 943 Paxton St., Alexandria,Va. Filed May 10, 1963, Ser. No. 279,359 13 Claims. (Cl. 22393) Thisinvention relates generally to garment hangers and more particularly tonovel apparatus co-operating with the hangers and their supporting rodfor preventing the unauthorized removal of garments from the hangers orof the hangers from their supporting rod.

In the merchandizing of womens coats, suits, and dresses particularly,and also of mens clothes, it is customary in their display to hang thegarments on plastic hangers having chrome plated extension hooks forsupport on horizontal rods mounted on fioor racks or placed in open wallsections or bays. Such method of display is essential because womenshoppers must be able to feel the texture of the fabric and to be ableto see all of the garments features.

Unfortunately, in addition to the desired sales resulting from suchdisplay, there is an annual loss to merchants of millions of dollars ininventory shrinkage due to shopliftingby both professional and amateurthieves. While the latter usually remove the garment from the hanger,the former steal both garment and hanger.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to providenovel apparatus for preventing removal of adisplayed or hanging garmentfrom a hanger and the hanger from the rack rod by a shoplifter withoutinterfering with the normal method of garment display or handling on thesales floor.

An important object of the present invention is to provide novelapparatus for preventing the shoplifting of displayed or hanginggarments and their hangers while allowing a complete examination thereofby the customer and the ready release and removal of the garment and/orhanger by a salesperson to enable the immediate trying on of a garmentby a customer, the novel apparatus resulting from twenty-eight years ofexperience in combating inventory shortages from shoplifting.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide novelshoplifting prevention apparatus for hanging garments and their hangerswhich will enable amerchant to protect his merchandise Without requiringany merchandize arrangement changes .or new basic equipment.

A further important object of the present invention is to provideshoplifting prevention apparatus comprising: a bracelet device whichprevents removal of a garment hanger from a supporting rod except byauthorized personnel while permitting its necessary adjustment along therod to keep hanging garments properly spaced for neat appearance; and atransparent shield device which locks'a garment to a hanger and permitsthe garment to hang in a protected and natural condition so as to beclean and wrinkle-free when the protective shield is removed to permit acustomer to try on the garment.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provideshoplifting prevention apparatus which is so arranged with respect toand for co-operation with various portions of a conventional garmenthanger as to prevent the unauthorized removal of the hanger from itssupporting display rack rod or of a garment from the hanger while notinterfering with such removal by authorized personnel.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide novelshoplifting prevention apparatus of the type described for garments andtheir supporting hangers which is: attractive in appearance. and permitsthe garihhhh l Patented August I6, 1966 ment to have a natural drape;simple in design; strong and rugged and of long life in use; andsusceptible of ready and economical manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In thisshowing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, vertical, transverse sectional view throughthe rod of a garment display rack showing a garment hanger lockedthereto against unauthorized removal by the bracelet device forming apart of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the bracelet showing its arms in bothlocked and open position;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view to a reduced scale of the shielddevice for use as a coat protector;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevational View thereof;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view to a further reduced scale of theshield device as modified for use as a dress protector;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view thereof to a greatly enlarged scale;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on the line 8-8 ofFIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on the line 9-9 ofFIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower shield cornerlocking connectors;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a conventionalhanger showing the apertures through which the upper locking memberspass; and

FIGURE 12 is similar view of one of the locking members.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, numeral 16 designates thegarment-hanger-supporting rod of a garment display stand. As is wellknown, garments are supported on the rod in closely spaced parallelrelationship on hangers 17 having hooks 18 which have a greater radiusof curvature than the rod and terminate in an upturned strengthening end20.

In order to prevent the unauthorized removal of a hanger 17 from thesupporting rod 16, a bracelet type locking device 22 is provided toencircle the hook and rod and lock them together and comprises a pair ofspaced, parallel semi-circular members 23, 24 connected at one end by ablock 25. A second pair of spaced, parallel semi-circular members 26, 27are pivotally connected at their inner ends by hinges 28, 30 to theother or inner ends of the members 23, 24 respectively, and are providedat their free or outer ends with locking male prongs 32 which arereceived in female recesses 33 provided with spring-urged, prong-holdingdetents (not shown). The detents are separately retracted to release thesemicircular members by a simple key, (not shown) carried by thesalespersons, etc. upon its insertion into the key holes 34.

The inner peripheral face of the bracelet connecting block 25 isprovided with a partial recess 35 which engages the sides and top end ofthe hook portion 20 so that the hook 18 is clamped against the top ofthe rod 16 when the semi-circular bracelet members are both in thelocked position of members 23 and 26 of FIG- URE 2.

It will now be apparent that the bracelet device 22 when in theoperative position of members 23 and 26 of FIGURE 1, will lock thehanger and hook 17, 18 to the rod 16 against removal while permittingthe hanger to be slid along the rod to adjust the space between thegarments so as to maintain an attractive display rack.

, The bracelet device does not have to be removed when a garment isremoved because sold or to be tried on as this requires only the removalof the shields to be described. The empty hanger may be removed by thesalesperson at her convenience at a time when it does not interfere withher customer service.

The shields shown in the remaining figures of the drawings employ thesame basic principles of the invention to secure a garment to a hangerand differ structually only as required to properly co-operate with andaccommodate for the differences in womens dresses, co-ordinates, lightweight suits, coats and collared coats. In general, the shield comprisesa transparent shield of plastic which conforms to the shape of the topof the hanger and is closely spaced therefrom just enough to accommodatethe garment thereon. The shield is provided with locking means whichprevent its being moved relatively to the hanger and make it impossiblefor a shoplifter to work the garment out between the shield and thehanger.

Inasmuch as the shield locking means co-operates with the characteristicstructure of a conventional garment hanger, it is to be understood thatthis term designates a hanger (as illustrated in FIGURE 11) in which theneck of the hanger 17 is provided with a generally rectangular opening19 through which the base of the hook 13 passes. The means for rotatablysecuring the hook in the hanger is immaterial to the present invention.

Referring to FIGURES 3 to inclusive of the drawings, a shield forgarments having a collar C is disclosed and comprises two partsa front37 and a back 38 having peripheral flanges 39 extending toward eachother and meeting, at the side edges 40 below the hanger and at theshoulder areas 42, except at their bottom edges 44 which are thus spacedto define an opening through which the garment G extends, and not at theV-neck portion 41 which permits the collar to lie outside of the shield.The bottom corners of the front and back shield portions 37, 38 are eachthickened or provided with blocks 46 to enable their rigid connection bypins and sockets 47, 48 respectively (FIGURE Similarly, their shoulderportions are provided with tongue and slot snap connectors 52, 53respectively.

The shield portions 37 and 38 are lockably connected to each other andto the hanger by a pair rigid straps 54, 55, each of which is pivotallyconnected to their bottom edges 44 by hinges 56, extend outwardly so asnot to press on the nap of the front and lower extending rear portionsof the collar C, upwardly to a point opposite the upper side of theshield, and inwardly to then terminate in upturned flanges 57, 58 havingspaced apertures 60 in alignment with the two halves of the opening 19(defined by the hanger hook 18) in the hanger 17. The shield portionsand the hanger may now be locked immovably together by a simple lock 62whose shank legs 63 pass through the apertures 60 and around the shankof the hook 18 in the hanger opening 19. Optionally, the locking meansmay be similar to the prong and spring urged detent with key release ofFIGURE 2.

It will now be apparent that the collared garment shield of FIGURES 3-6inclusive provides a greater spacing between the shield and the hangerto accommodate the thicker material of the garment, provides a V-shapedneck 41 to enable a collar C to extend theret-hrough and to lie and bedisplayed on the exterior of the upper shields portion, provides therigid straps 54, 55 spaced from the shield portions 37, 38 toaccommodate the even greater collar thickness so as to prevent anypressure on the garment fabric or the collar, and by the pivotal andlocking connection of the straps with the shield and the hanger 17,positively prevent any possibility of the shield being moved upwardlyand the collared garment G being worked out between the shield and thehanger by a shoplifter. It is contemplated that the shield be providedwith interchangeable straps 54, 55 of different contours so as toaccommodate differences in collar styles and sizes as fashions change.

The shield disclosed in FIGURES 6-12 does not employ the collaraccommodating V-neck and straps just described but embodies otherwisethe same principles set forth and the details are modified as a wholeonly to accommodate less bulky garments than coats such as dresses, etc.Accordingly, similar parts are designated by similar numerals.

The shield of FIGURES 6-12 extends with its peripheral flange edges 40,42 in contact all the way from its corner male and female connectors 47,48 (FIGURES 8 and 10) to its top neck edge 66 adjacent that of thehanger 17 to which it is very closely spaced because of the thinness ofthe dress, etc. material. that even a thin low neck-line dress may notbe worked out between the shield and the hanger by a shoplifter, theface of the front and back plastic shield portions 3-7, 38 are providedwith kidney shaped depressions 68 which are not required with normalneckline dresses. As illustrated in FIGURE 6, a vertically extendingprotrusion 70 is formed in the face of the front shield portion 37 toaccommodate and protect buttons.

The front and back shield portions of FIGURES 6-9 are placed about adress or garment on a hanger 17 and the bottom corners as before, areconnected first. The shoulder snap connections 52, 53 are made nextalthough these may be omitted in view of the rigidity afforded theshield by the uninterrupted edge abutments of the mating peripheralflanges 39. While the neck portions of the shield portions may beconnected as shown in FIGURE 7, they are preferably reinforced orthickened in the rectangular area 70, and the back shield portionprovided with lock prongs 74 (FIGURE 12) which project through andengage the corners of the hanger opening 19 as before to thus preventand relative motion between the shield and the hanger. The prongs arereceived in and locked in the front shield portion 37 by means femalesockets including spring urged detents releasable by a key (not shown)as in the locking means of FIGURE 2. The shield thus cannot be pushed upwith respect to the hanger 17 and its garment G so that the lattercannot be worked out from between the hanger and shield, and cannot bepushed down so as to crush the fabric across the shoulders of thehanger. Each of the shield portions 37, 38 is provided with a studpivoted hook 76 so that when the shield portions are removed from ahanger and garment for a try on or as the result of a sale, each portionmay be readily and temporarily hung on the display rack rod 16 so as tobe out of the way.

It will now be appreciated that the novel apparatus comprising thepresent invention: will effectively prevent unauthorized removal of agarment from a hanger or of both from the supporting rod of a displayrack, etc. without interfering with the normal method of displayinggarments on the sales floor; will allow complete examination by acustomer; may be instantly released and removed by a salesperson orother authorized personnel; and permits the garment to hang in normalposition without being penetrated or having pressure put on it, and

without acquiring wrinkles.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shown anddescribed are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for securing a garment to a garment hanger havingsloping shoulder portions with a centrallydisposed hook including astrengthening end, and the hook to the hanger supporting rod of adisplay rack comprising, in combination, a shield adapted to encircleand secure the shoulder portions of the garment to the conforming bodyof the hanger, said shield comprising a pair of com- To ensureplementary hanger-body conforming, garment clamping members havinginterfittably locking means, and being spaced at their bottoms for thepassage of the garment; and a bracelet device adapted to encircle thesupporting rod and including a recess to engage the hook strengtheningend and clamp the hook of the hanger thereto to prevent removal of thehanger therefrom.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said shield members areformed of transparent plastic to protect the garment from dirt whilepermitting viewing of the garment.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said bracelet devicecomprises a pair of spaced semi-circular members connected at one end,and a second pair of spaced semi-circular members pivotally connected totheir other ends and having their free ends pivotable toward saidconnected ends and into lockable engagement therewith.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said shield includes aneck opening to permit the garment collar to lie externally of saidshield, and means comprising rigid straps pivoted to the bottoms of saidshield portions and extending outwardly and upwardly to encircle thecollar and lockably engage the hanger body.

5. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein one of said shield membersincludes a protrusion to accommodate one or more buttons of saidgarment.

6. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein one of said shield membersincludes a depression to more closely confine and clamp thin garments.

7. A device for securing a garment hanger having centrally disposedhanger hook including a strengthening end to the hanger supporting rodof a display rack comprising, in combination, a bracelet device adaptedto encircle the rod and including a recess to engage the hookstrengthening end and clamp the book of the hanger to the rod to preventremoval of the hanger therefrom, said bracelet device comprising twopivotally connected spaced parallel pairs of semi-circular members forstraddling the hanger hook and encircling the rod, the free ends of saidsemi: circular members include male and female coupling means operativeto lock said ends together, and means connecting the free ends of saidpairs and including additional means operative to unlock said ends.

8. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the hanger has an apertureformed centrally in the body thereof, and means for locking said shieldmembers together comprising pin and socket connectors and a lock havingmembers extending through said aperture.

9. A device for securing a garment to a garment hanger having slopingshoulder portions with a centrally disposed hook comprising a shieldadapted to encircle and secure the shoulder portions of the garment tothe conforming body of the hanger, said shield comprising a pair ofcomplementary hanger-body conforming, garment clamping members havinginterfittably locking means, and being spaced at their bottoms for thepassage of the garment.

10. The combination recited in claim 9 wherein said shield is formed oftransparent material to display the shoulders of the garment.

11. The combination recited in claim 9 wherein one of said shieldmembers includes a protrusion to accommodate one or more buttons of saidgarment.

12. The combination recited in claim 9 wherein one of said shieldmembers includes a depression to more closely confine and clamp thingarments.

13. The combination recited in claim 9 wherein said extending membersengage opposing sides of the aperture to prevent relative motion betweensaid shield portions and said hanger.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 742,207 10/ 1903Mieden -15 924,824 6/ 1909 Peebler 70-15 986,029 3/ 1911 Steinert 24-249X 1,643,077 9/1927 Levkofi 223--98 2,3 85,053 9/1945 Bohn 223982,584,045 1/1952 Peters 211--8 3,163,277 12/1964 Naef 19467 JORDANFRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR SECURING A GARMENT TO A GARMENT HANGER HAVINGSLOPING SHOULDER PORTIONS WITH A CENTRALLYDISPOSED HOOK INCLUDING ASTRENGTHENING END, AND THE HOOK TO THE HANGER SUPPORTING ROD OF ADISPLAY RACK COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SHIELD ADAPTED TO ENCIRCLEAND SECURE THE SHOULDER PORTIONS OF THE GARMENT TO THE CONFORMING BODYOF THE HANGER, SAID SHIELD COMPRISING A PAIR OF COMPLEMENTARYHANGER-BODY COMFORMING, GARMENT CLAMPING MEMBERS HAVING INTERFITTABLYLOCKING MEANS, AND BEING SPACED AT THEIR BOTTOM FOR THE PASSAGE OF THEGARMENT; AND A BRACELET DEVICE ADAPTED TO ENCIRCLE THE SUPPORTING RODAND INCLUDING A RECESS TO ENGAGE THE HOOK STRENGTHENING